


I Know You

by conceptstage



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-12 07:40:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17463365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/conceptstage/pseuds/conceptstage
Summary: Prompted on Tumblr.After the events at Edith's house the previous afternoon, Caleb tries to make a break for it. Beau knows him too well to let him get away with it.





	I Know You

Caleb’s eyes snapped open in the dark and he stared at the ceiling for a moment to get his bearings. He looked across the room at Fjord to find the half-orc face down on his pillow and snoring deeply. He instinctively reached down to touch Nott’s hair but she wasn’t there. It took him a moment of panic to remember that they had both agreed to take some time apart from one another and Nott was sleeping with Jester and Beau in the other room.

Why was he awake right now? Oh, right, the plan. He hadn’t meant to doze off but it was still extremely early morning outside, he had some time. He gathered all his things in his pockets and silently lifted up the window. He paused for a moment to see if Fjord noticed or woke but he didn’t stir. He climbed out the window one leg at the time and then started struggling to close the window back without making noise.

“Hey, Caleb.”

Caleb jumped and started looking around to find the source of the voice he knew well. “Beau?” he hissed quietly.

“Up here, jackass.” He followed her voice up to find her sitting on the roof with her legs dangling off the side, her staff sitting across her thighs and her chin propped on her hand. She gave him a lazy, almost sarcastically casual wave. “Mornin’.”

“Why are you up there?”

“Because I’m smarter than people think. Just because I can’t say words good doesn’t mean I’m not smart enough to figure out you’d try to run off after what happened with Nott.”

Caleb frowned and went back to trying to shut the window. He didn’t speak again until it was shut. “And you’re here to stop me?”

“You’re goddamn right I’m here to stop you.” She huffed and jumped off the roof, landing quietly on the ground and then rising to full height. Caleb felt small under her glare even though he was easily half a foot taller than she was. “Yesterday was hard,” she conceded. Her words were soft but her hard eyes didn’t move away from his face. He refused to look her in the eye. “You can’t just run away when things get hard.”

“You’re one to talk,” he hissed. “You’ve run away from everything difficult in your life, what right do you have to tell me not to run away?”

Her shoulders tensed and she raised her chin defiantly but her words were still quiet and understanding. “You’re hurt,” she said. “And you’re taking it out on me. The same way that Nott was hurt and took it out on you.” She must have been talking with Caduceus, that sounded like his influence.  “Your feelings aren’t my responsibility. The same way that what happened with Nott wasn’t your responsibility. Look, I’m not saying you need to forgive her right away, I was pretty pissed at her too. But she loves you, Caleb, she was just-”

“She told them,” he hissed. “The more people who know, the more danger we’re all in! Why can you not understand that?”

“I do understand, I’m just saying that leaving isn’t the solution.”

“Why not? What would you have me do?!”

“Stay!” she exclaimed, finally uncrossing her arms to throw her hands up into the air in exasperation. “Stay where we can protect you! If they do find out that you were with us, they will come for us whether you’re still here or not and if you leave then they will find you alone.” Caleb didn’t answer right away, instead he started to pacing along the wall, running both his hands through his red curls. “We’ll come after you,” she said after a few seconds of silence.

“You won’t find me.” He reached to his neck to clutch at his amulet.

She shrugged. “Maybe not.”

“No, you absolutely will not. If Trent Ikithon, the most powerful mage in the Empire, can’t find me, you will not find me.”

“Maybe. But there is one big difference between me and Trent Ikithon.” She paused and her nose wrinkled in distaste. “Well, there are many, many differences between me and Trent, but there is one big, relevant difference.”

“Ja? And what is that? Why do you think that you, a disgraced monk whose greatest talent in life is bullshitting, can succeed where he failed?”

“Because I love you goddammit!” she exclaimed, turning away from him and putting her hands on her hips. “Though, Gods know why. You’re insufferable and pushy and self rightous and, just, such a fucking prick sometimes but I love you. And I would keep going until I found you. I know your instincts, I know where you would go, I know what methods you would use to cover your tracks.” He stared at his own feet, unsure what to say. “Don’t make it weird, or anything. I meant as a close friend or like, a brother.”

He huffed and rolled his eyes. “Yes, Beauregard. I know what you meant.”

“Good. Just didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings.”

He tugged on his coat to bring it tighter around his shoulders. “I… I care for you as well. More than I’ve cared for anyone but Nott in a very long time. That’s why I have to leave. To protect you from me, from my baggage.”

“Don’t make me sit on you, man. Cause I will, don’t think I’m playing. If you try to run away from home I will push you down and sit on your back until the others wake up.”

“Home?” He asked, finally meeting her eyes.

“Yeah,” she said shrugging. “The Mighty Nein, our home.”

He took a deep breath in through his nose and nodded. “I will stay. For now.”

“I know. Look, I know that we’re both not great at communicating with each other, but I’m here if you want to talk.”

“Honestly, talking to you just makes it worse most of the time.”

“Fair.” She walked around him and easily lifted the window. “Alright, in you go.”

He put his hands on the window sill and paused. “Are you going to be waiting out here all night to make sure I don’t try again?”

“Maybe. Haven’t decided yet. Get some sleep, tomorrow’s gonna be another rough one.”

Caleb nodded and climbed inside. Fjord was still snoring in the second bed as Caleb slid under the warm covers. He laid down for half an hour, staring at the ceiling. He got up once more and struggled to open the window again, leaning out slightly. “Beau,” he called, his voice low. “Are you still there?” There was no answer. “If you're still there, I’m sorry about what I said. I didn’t mean it. Gute Nacht.”

There was a beat of silence. “Night. Now go the fuck to sleep.”


End file.
